Nationwide Launch of Viksit Bharat G-Ram G Employment Scheme
The Union Ministry of Rural Development launched the nationwide 'Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Yojana' from Mukkavaripalli village in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh on July 2, 2026. The launch event was attended by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Union Ministers of State Dr. Chandrashekhar Pemmnasani and Kamlesh Paswan, along with MPs, MLAs and thousands of public participants.
Scheme Financial Allocation and Targets
The scheme represents a significant enhancement from the previous MGNREGA program, increasing the employment guarantee from 100 days to 125 days. In the first year of implementation, the Centre's share will be more than ₹95,000 crore, with states contributing 40% share, bringing the total annual expenditure to approximately ₹1.51 lakh crore. The five-year target is set at ₹7.5 lakh crore, which will be distributed to India's 2.86 lakh panchayats, providing each panchayat an average of more than ₹2 crore per year for development works and employment generation.
Legal Provisions and Implementation Framework
The scheme includes strong legal provisions ensuring employment within 15 days of demand, with mandatory unemployment allowance if work is not provided within the stipulated time. To address historical issues of wage delays, the scheme incorporates a provision for payment of delayed wages with interest. Administrative expenditure has been increased from 6% to 9%, with more than ₹13,000 crore allocated for salaries and facilities of Gram Rozgar Sahayaks, mates, and other field-level employees. The minimum wage rate under the scheme is set at ₹300 nationwide, with Andhra Pradesh receiving rates between ₹312-315.
Decentralized Decision-Making and Digital Monitoring
Work selection will be decentralized to gram panchayats and gram sabhas, allowing villages to determine their own development priorities including Anganwadis, schools, hospitals, roads, farm roads, FPO structures, ponds, check dams, and disaster protection structures. The scheme will utilize digital master rolls, Aadhaar-based payments, real-time monitoring, and geo-tagging technologies to prevent corruption and ensure proper fund utilization.
Andhra Pradesh Special Package and Additional Approvals
Andhra Pradesh received a special package of ₹7,707 crore for nine months under the scheme. Additionally, the state received approvals for 74,212 new pucca houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and 146 new roads with 19 bridges totaling more than ₹422 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV. The Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) will purchase Totapuri mangoes to support farmers facing price declines, with ICR scientific teams working on variety improvement techniques.
Regional Development Vision
Chief Minister Naidu outlined plans to make Rayalaseema a horticulture hub with approximately ₹40,000 crore in public investment and ₹60,000 crore in private investment under the Purvodaya programme, focusing on irrigation projects, road connectivity, warehouses, and infrastructure. The vision includes developing Amaravati as the capital city and progressing projects like Polavaram, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, data centres, and fighter jet projects to enhance Andhra Pradesh's economic profile.